Track system with a support member

Abstract

A support member may be connectable in a removable and adjustable manner to a track assembly. The support member may include an electrical connector, a contact, and a biasing member. The electrical connector may be adjustable to a first position and a second position. The contact may be connected to the electrical connector and configured to engage a conductor of said track assembly. The contact may be engageable with said conductor when the electrical connector is in the first position. The contact may not be engageable with said conductor when the electrical connector is in the second position. The biasing member may be configured to bias the contact into engagement with said conductor when the electrical connector is in the first position.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A support member connectable to a track assembly to be removable and adjustable, the support member comprising:
 an electrical connector adjustable to a first position and a second position, the electrical connector including: 
 a first contact configured to engage a first conductor of said track assembly; and 
 a biasing member; 
 wherein the first contact is engageable with said first conductor when the electrical connector is in the first position; 
 the first contact is disposed at a distance from said first conductor when the electrical connector is in the second position; 
 the biasing member is configured to rotationally bias the first contact into engagement with said first conductor when the electrical connector is in the first position; and 
 the electrical connector has a connector rotational axis; 
 the first contact protrudes from the electrical connector; 
 the first contact has a contact rotational axis that is oblique or perpendicular to the connector rotational axis; and 
 the first contact is rotatable about the contact rotational axis. 
 
     
     
       2. The support member of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first contact includes a first surface, a second surface, and a third surface; and 
 the second surface extends between and connects the first surface and the third surface such that a transition is defined between the first surface and the third surface. 
 
     
     
       3. The support member of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the first contact includes a fourth surface, a fifth surface, and a sixth surface; 
 the third surface extends between and connects the second surface and the fourth surface; 
 the fifth surface extends between and connects the fourth surface and the sixth surface such that a second transition is defined between the fourth surface and the sixth surface; and 
 the sixth surface extends between and connects the fifth surface and the first surface. 
 
     
     
       4. The support member of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first surface and the fourth surface are substantially flat; 
 the third surface and the sixth surface are curved; 
 in a region of the transition, the third surface is disposed radially farther from an axis of the first contact than the first surface; and 
 in a region of the second transition, the sixth surface is disposed radially farther from the axis of the first contact than the fourth surface. 
 
     
     
       5. The support member of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the electrical connector includes a second contact, a second biasing member, and an alignment protrusion; 
 the second contact is configured to engage a second conductor of said track assembly when the electrical connector is in the first position; 
 the alignment protrusion is disposed adjacent to the second contact and is configured to engage said track assembly to facilitate alignment of the second contact with said second conductor; 
 the electrical connector is rotatable about and adjustable along the connector rotational axis such that, when the electrical connector is rotated from the second position toward the first position, the electrical connector is adjusted along the connector rotational axis via engagement of the alignment protrusion and said track assembly to substantially align the second contact with said second conductor; and 
 the first contact is rotatable about the contact rotational axis to compensate for misalignment of the first contact with said first conductor. 
 
     
     
       6. The support member of  claim 1 , wherein
 the electrical connector is adjustable to the first position and the second position via rotating about the connector rotational axis. 
 
     
     
       7. A track system, comprising:
 the support member of  claim 1 ; and 
 said track assembly; 
 the track assembly includes a track and an insulator; and 
 the first conductor is connected to the track via the insulator. 
 
     
     
       8. The track system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first contact includes a first flat surface, a first transition surface, a first curved surface, a second flat surface, a second transition surface, and a second curved surface; 
 the first flat surface extends between and connects the second curved surface and the first transition surface; 
 the first transition surface extends between and connects the first flat surface and the first curved surface such that a transition is defined between the first flat surface and the first curved surface; 
 the first curved surface extends between and connects the first transition surface and the second flat surface; 
 the second flat surface extends between and connects the first curved surface and the second transition surface; 
 the second transition surface extends between and connects the second flat surface and the second curved surface such that a second transition is defined between the second flat surface and the second curved surface; and 
 the second curved surface extends between and connects the second transition surface and the first flat surface. 
 
     
     
       9. The track system of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the first conductor has a substantially U-shaped profile; and 
 the first contact has a first contact rotational axis and is rotationally biased about the first contact rotational axis via the biasing member such that, when the electrical connector is in the first position, (i) the first contact is disposed within the first conductor and (ii) the first curved surface and the second curved surface of the first contact are biased into contact with opposing surfaces of the first conductor. 
 
     
     
       10. The track system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the track assembly includes a second conductor; 
 the electrical connector includes a second contact and a second biasing member; 
 the second contact is configured to engage the second conductor when the electrical connector is in the first position; and 
 the first contact is configured to rotate about a plurality of axes to facilitate engagement between the first contact and the first conductor. 
 
     
     
       11. The track system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the electrical connector includes an alignment protrusion; 
 the alignment protrusion is configured to engage the insulator such that, when the electrical connector is adjusted from the second position toward the first position, the second contact and the second conductor are substantially aligned with one another via engagement of the alignment protrusion and the insulator; and 
 the first contact is connected with the electrical connector via a ball joint connection such that the first contact is (i) rotatable about a first axis of the plurality of axes to contact the first conductor, and (ii) rotatable about a second axis of the plurality of axes to compensate for misalignment of the first contact and the first conductor. 
 
     
     
       12. A support member connectable to a track assembly to be removable and adjustable, the support member comprising:
 an electrical connector adjustable to a first position and a second position, the electrical connector including a first contact configured to engage a first conductor of said track assembly; 
 wherein the first contact is engageable with said first conductor when the electrical connector is in the first position; 
 the first contact is disposed at a distance from said first conductor when the electrical connector is in the second position; and 
 the first contact includes a ball joint portion, a first rotational axis, and a second rotational axis. 
 
     
     
       13. A track system, comprising:
 a track assembly; 
 a support member connectable to the track assembly to be removable and adjustable, the support member comprising:
 an electrical connector adjustable to a first position and a second position, the electrical connector including:
 a first contact configured to engage a first conductor of the track assembly; and 
 a biasing member; and 
 
 
 wherein the first contact is engageable with said first conductor when the electrical connector is in the first position; 
 the first contact is disposed at a distance from said first conductor when the electrical connector is in the second position; 
 the biasing member is configured to rotationally bias the first contact into engagement with said first conductor when the electrical connector is in the first position; and 
 when the first contact is engaged with the first conductor, the biasing member biases (i) a first portion of the first contact toward a top inner surface of the first conductor and (ii) a second portion of the first contact toward a lower inner surface of the first conductor. 
 
     
     
       14. The track system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the electrical connector has a connector rotational axis; 
 the first contact protrudes from the electrical connector; 
 the first contact has a contact rotational axis that is substantially perpendicular to the connector rotational axis; and 
 the first contact is rotatable about the contact rotational axis. 
 
     
     
       15. The track system of  claim 14 , wherein, when the electrical connector is in the first position:
 the contact rotational axis extends substantially in a transverse direction of the support member; and 
 the biasing member is offset from the contact rotational axis in a longitudinal direction of the support member. 
 
     
     
       16. The track system of  claim 15 , wherein the biasing member is configured to apply a force to the first contact in a substantially vertical direction such that the first contact is rotationally biased into engagement with said first conductor when the electrical connector is in the first position. 
     
     
       17. The support member of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the biasing member includes a spring; 
 the first contact includes a stabilizer portion, a support protrusion connected to the stabilizer portion, and an engagement protrusion extending from the support protrusion; and 
 the engagement protrusion is engaged with the spring to restrict movement of the spring relative to the support protrusion. 
 
     
     
       18. The track system of  claim 13 , wherein the track assembly includes a track and an insulator;
 the first conductor is connected to the track via the insulator; and 
 the first conductor is received and retained within a recess of the insulator. 
 
     
     
       19. The track system of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the electrical connector includes an alignment protrusion; and 
 the recess of the insulator includes a tapered opening configured to engage the alignment protrusion such that, when the electrical connector is adjusted from the second position toward the first position, the first contact and the first conductor are substantially aligned with one another via engagement of the tapered opening and the alignment protrusion. 
 
     
     
       20. The track system of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the first conductor has a U-shaped profile open in a transverse direction and is configured to at least partially receive the first contact; and 
 the insulator extends beyond the first conductor such that the first contact is guidable into the first conductor via a tapered opening of the recess of the insulator when the electrical connector is adjusted toward the first position.